His major hits were written by Jimmy Webb: "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", and "Galveston". That was such a great collaboration. Webb is an amazing songwriter.

Another cover on Campbell's "Wichita Lineman" album is "Dock of the Bay" which my older sister must have played a million times growing up. I thought that that was the definitive version of "Dock of the Bay", so when I finally heard the Otis Redding version I thought it was okay, but not as good as the original version. My tastes have changed since then and I think I prefer the Redding version now, but, man oh man, we practically wore GC's albums out in the late 60s and early 70s. I still lean in every time I hear "Wichita Lineman" or "Phoenix".

This thread sent me down a Glen Campbell rabbit hole.I always felt Galveston was a more effective protest song than the usual strident anti-war songs of the era.Today I found that it was originally recorded by Don Ho (!), and Jimmy Webb's original lyrics were not what Glen Campbell later recorded. Per Wikipedia:"the song describes a soldier waiting to go into battle who thinks of the woman he loves and his hometown of Galveston, Texas. The song was originally sung by Don Ho, who introduced Glen Campbell to it when he appeared as a guest on Campbell's Goodtime Hour, and the second verse was originally transcribed:"Wonder if she could forget me"I'd go home if they would let me"Put down this gun"And go to Galveston."[7]However, in Campbell's version, this was changed to read:"I still hear your sea waves crashing"While I watch the cannons flashing"I clean my gun"And dream of Galveston."[8]

Wow... fabulous version of Gentle On My Mind... LOVE Glen's guitar break in this one!!! Look at the expressions on ALL his friends' faces (including Roy Clark, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Crystal Gayle, just to name a few), as he proceeds to, as he says, "I'll play one...":

It was produced by Denny Tedesco, whose dad, Tommy Tedesco was a mainstay of the wrecking crew years and is kind of the focus of the movie. But he interviews lots of musicians, including Glen Campbell, about how much time the spent in these sessions.

Did you know that Glen Campbell played on Frank Sinatra's "Strangers In the Night"? and for anyone in my age range, that was a huge song for Frank, after a few years of kind of being off the charts.

I developed a long crush John Hartford when he and Glen sang "Gentle on My Mind" on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. According to the you tube clip it was March of 1968. I have a vivid memory of sprawling on the living room floor, listening to my parents disagree with the brothers' political views. When that song started everyone stopped what they were doing and sat there silently transfixed. The song hadn't yet received wide airplay where we lived but it later became the rare song of that era that parents and kids all loved. That appearance on the Smothers Brothers had a semi-transparent arty movie images running intermittently over the musician shots, which was a big deal and caused a lot of comment at the time. A precursor to music videos, I suppose.I knew we'd lost John Hartford but your post prompted me to check what he'd done in his later years. What a renaissance man!Incredible musician and also a river pilot. It was so touching to read that they named a river navigation point after him.

Thank you Steve for a lovely tribute to Glen Campbell. His music was a pleasant part of my childhood, his melodies often replaying themselves in my mind after I heard them on the radio. Your drawing will remain for me a fitting memorial at his passing. It reminds me of the tribute you drew for Jim Henson, as he walked into the sunset, his characters waving farewell. That one remains etched in my memory from years ago recalling the delight he gave me as a child.